1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a vehicular lighting apparatus configured to apply light around a self-vehicle to call attention.
2. Description of the Related Art
For this type of apparatus, there is known a technology/technique in which light is applied toward an object or target that exists around the self-vehicle, thereby to call the object's attention to approach of the self-vehicle. Moreover, there is also known a technology/technique in which light applied to the object is used to present information to a driver of the self-vehicle. In Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2008-143510, there is proposed a technology/technique in which the same light as the light for calling the object's attention is used to present information about a moving direction of the object and a distance to the self-vehicle, to the driver of the self-vehicle.
In the aforementioned Patent Literature, an illumination pattern in a T shape, Y shape, arrow shape or other shapes is projected on a road surface around the self-vehicle. The illumination pattern aims at informing a driver of information about a pedestrian (specifically, information about a distance to the pedestrian and a direction in which the pedestrian exists). For such a purpose, the illumination pattern does not have a special meaning to the pedestrian. Thus, the pedestrian who walks near the road surface illuminated with the illumination pattern does not recognize that the illumination pattern has a special meaning, and possibly simply recognizes that the road surface is illuminated with light.
As described above, even if the illumination pattern is used to call the object's attention, it is likely meaningless to call the object's attention, unless the object, i.e. the pedestrian or the like, has knowledge regarding the illumination pattern. In other words, even if the object can visualize the T shape, Y shape, or arrow shape illumination pattern, the effect of calling the object's attention cannot be obtained if the object cannot understand the meaning of the patterns.
As described above, even if the self-vehicle projects the illumination pattern by using illumination light, the information cannot be always appropriately presented to the object. In other words, the technology/technique disclosed in the aforementioned Patent Literature has such a technical problem that the information cannot be appropriately presented to each of the driver and the object.